European diplomat warns of broader Israeli escalation in south Lebanon

A European diplomat told Al-Joumhouria that what is concerning is the lack of serious restraints on the Israeli escalation in southern Lebanon, raising concerns about difficult future scenarios and a possible escalation that is more intense and broader in scope, directly linked to the elections in Israel. The diplomat said this raises real concerns not only about the situation in southern Lebanon, but about the Lebanese scene as a whole. The source added that the Israeli escalation was not surprising, but had been expected amid continued military operations despite the ceasefire, which negatively affected direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel and the framework agreement, pushing it into a state of negative deadlock.